Toy



Jilly 3,1928. 1,676,085

. L. E. GERRISH TOY Filed March 16, 192

Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES LLOYD E. GERRISH, OF KITTERY, MAINE.

TOY.

Application filed March 16, 1926.

The present inventionis concerned with the provision of an improved toy of the character adapted to be supported on traction wheels at one end and formed with a pushing handle by which a child steers the traction wheels.

Objects of the invention are to provide a. toy of this character, which will be amusing to children, which will be attractive in appearance, simple and practical in construction, rugged and durable in use, and capable of being manufactured with comparative economy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique steering mechanism operated by the camming action of the pushing handle on the inclined face of the wheel axle.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a toy which may be conveniently grasped with one hand, steered with the other hand and trundled along on. its wheels without requiring any great manual effort on the part of the child who is pushing it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy adapted to simulate various types of automotive vehicles, which may conveniently be used for advertising purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy in which the representation of a vehicle or animal is mounted upon traction wheels, and may be readily manipu lated by a small youngster who will appear to be driving the vehicle or drawn by the animal, as the case may be.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompany ing drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of av toy embodying the present invention.

F ig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a View in front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view indicating the position of the handle bar and its associated mechanism when the wheel axle is slightly turned.

In the drawings I have used the reference characters 10, 10 to designate a pair of traction wheels mounted for free turning movement upon the spindles 11 of an axle Serial No. 95,097.

12. The axle may be of various cross sectional shapes, but preferably includes a camming face 13 adapted, when the ve-- hicle is held in the operative position of Fig. 2, to be inclined forwardly.

The handle bar or push bar of the vehicle is indicated at 14-. This bar at its forward end is formed with a flat under face 15 resting upon the face 13 of the axle, and pivotally connected thereto in any appropriate manner. I have shown one efficient pivotal connection in which a headed pivot bolt 16 is passed through the handle bar 14 and the axle. Friction between the faces of the axle and handle bar is maintained by the use of a bow spring 17, the ends of which bear against the under face of the axle, and the intermediate portion of which is slipped over the unheaded end of the pivot bolt and retained by cotter pin 18 or equivalent device. It will be noted that the handle bar 11 includes a forwardly offset portion 14 disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the ground when the toy is in the position of use shown in Fig. 2. The main portion of the handle bar at this time is disposed at approximately an angle of 35 to the ground. Near its rear end a steering wheel or equivalent device 19 is rigidly fixed to the handle bar, one of the spokes 20 of the steering wheel being preferably extended laterally to provide a steering handle extension 21.

In operating the toy, the rounded handle end 14 of the handle bar is loosely grasped by the left hand to effect forward propulsion of the vehicle by pushing it. The hand which grasps the handle 1 1 may rest freely near the hip. The right hand is placed upon the steering wheel extension 21, and when the handle bar is in the inclined position of F ig. 2, relatively slight pressure either n an upward or downward direction on the extension 21. will effect swinging of the axle 13 on its pivot bolt 16. Thus, steering is accomplished through the camming action of the forward end of the handle bar on the inclined face 13 of the axle.

It will be apparent that I may mount upon the handle bar various representations of animals, vehicles, etc. Preferably I so mount the representation of an automobile radiator and head lights 25 forwardly of the handle bar, that the member 25 will be in vertical position when the handle bar is inclined to the position shown in Figs. 1,

2 and 3. The plate-like element 25 may be conveniently mounted upon the forward end of a vertical supporting bracket 26, one inclined face of which is secured along the handle bar. i

lVhile the invention in its broader aspects involves the production of the toy in various shapes, sizes and forms, and carrying various representations in place of the member 25, I find that it may be conveniently used for advertising well known makes of automobiles, by designing the shape of the member 25 t0 conform to the shape of the front end of such automobiles.

()bviouslyvarious changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from the invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy including a pair ofgtraction wheels and a stationary axle connecting the wheels, said axle having a flat surface portion adapted to be disposed in inclined position as vthe toy is rolled over the ground, and a steering bar pivotally connected to the axle and having camming engagement with the inclined face thereof, to effect steering of the traction wheels, said steering bar serving as the handle bar of the toy and adapted to be manually held and pushed by a child trundling the toy, said bar being angularly offset at its forward end to obtain the desired camming leverage on the axle without unduly elevating the rear end of the bar.

2. A toy including a pair of traction wheels and a stationary axle oonnectingthe wheels. said axle having a. flat surface portion adapted to be disposed in inclined position as the toy is rolled over the ground, and a steering bar pivotally connected to the axle and having camming engagement with the inclined face thereof, to effect steering of the traction wheels, the pivotal con necting means including a bolt passed through'axle and steering bar, and a spring retained on the projecting end of the bolt and n'iaintaining tension on the pivot.

3. A toy including a pair of traction wheels and a stationary axle connecting the wheels, said axle having a flat surface portion adapted to be disposed in inclined position as the toy is rolled over the ground, a steering bar pivotally connected to the axle and having camming engagement with the inclined face thereof, to effect steering of the traction wheels, said steering bar serving as the handle bar of the toy and adapted to be manually held and pushed by a child trundling the toy, and a steering wheel near the handle end of the bar, having a laterally extending spoke serving as a steering lever.

4311*. toy including a pair of traction wheels and a stationary axle connecting the wheels, said axle having a flat surface portion adapted to be disposed in inclined position as the toy is rolled over the ground, and a steering bar pivotally connected to the axle and having camniing engagement with theinclined face thereof, to eifect steering of the traction wheels, said steering bar serving as the handle bar of the toy and adapted to be manually held and pushed by a child trundling the toy, and an ernblematical member supported on the forward end of the steering bar and adapted to be disposed substai'itially in vertical position as the toy is wheeled. 1

5. A toy including a pair of traction wheels'and a stationary axle connecting the wheels, said axle having a flat surface portion adapted to be disposed in inclined position as the toy is rolled over the ground, a steering bar pivotally connected to the axle and having camming engagement with the inclined face thereof, to effect steering of the traction wheels. said steering bar serving as the handle bar of the toy and adapted to be manually held and pushed by a child trundling the toy, and a plate supported on the steering bar and adapted to be disposed substantially in vertical position as the toy is" wheeled, said plate representing the forward end of an automobile.

LLOYD E. GERRISH. 

